Postal attendance rewards return

The Royal Mail says its staff deserves the rewards

The Royal Mail is to repeat a scheme which rewards postal workers with new cars and holiday vouchers if they do not take any sick leave.

Attendance levels have risen by 11% - some 1,000 workers a day - since it was launched last August, the firm said.

In that time, 37 workers have won a new car, 70 have gained £2,000 worth of holiday vouchers, and 90,000 have secured £150 worth of the vouchers.

Staff who went six months without a day off sick were entered in a prize draw.

The company said it had also introduced a medical helpdesk for staff and access to health services had also been improved.

The Royal Mail found sickness absence levels from last August to January, the duration of the scheme, averaged 5.7%, compared with 6.7% for the same period a year earlier.

'Deserved rewards'

A second scheme has now started, giving staff who take no time off work sick a further opportunity to be entered into a draw to win more new cars and holiday vouchers.

HAVE YOUR SAY Poor attendance should be recognised with the sack Jeffrey Lake, London, UK Send us your comments

"We must both support and reward postmen and women. They deserve it," said Royal Mail group director for people Tony McCarthy.

He added that the latest figures show that the organisation's performance is the best in almost a decade, with 91.9% of first class letters delivered the working day after posting.

"This package of practical support and `thank-yous' has made a big difference," added Mr McCarthy.

Business organisation, the CBI, found that absenteeism costs UK industry £11.6bn each year.